Servant of the Underworld
Obsidian and Blood, Book 1
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Servant of the Underworld
Buy for $24.30
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
John Telfer
About this listen
Year One-Knife, Tenochtitlan – the capital of the Aztecs. The end of the world is kept at bay only by the magic of human sacrifice. A priestess disappears from an empty room drenched in blood. Acatl, high priest, must find her, or break the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead. But how do you find someone, living or dead, in a world where blood sacrifices are an everyday occurrence and the very gods stalk the streets?
©2010 Aliette de Bodard (P)2014 Audible LtdListeners also enjoyed...
-
Babel
- Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution
- By: R. F. Kuang
- Narrated by: Chris Lew Kum Hoi, Billie Fulford-Brown
- Length: 21 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,191
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,620
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,613
1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. Babel is the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as its knowledge serves the Empire’s quest for colonization.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The novel language lovers have been waiting for
- By LisaLee on 09-06-22
By: R. F. Kuang
-
On a Red Station, Drifting
- By: Aliette de Bodard
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 27
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 25
For generations, Prosper Station has thrived under the guidance of its Honoured Ancestress: born of a human womb, the station's artificial intelligence has offered guidance and protection to its human relatives. But war has come to the Dai Viet Empire. Prosper's brightest minds have been called away to defend the emperor; and a flood of disorientated refugees strain the station's resources.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Great world-building and characters, volume issues
- By Rachael Bailey on 07-08-19
-
The Malevolent Seven
- By: Sebastien de Castell
- Narrated by: Joe Jameson
- Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 279
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 252
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 252
My name is Cade Ombra, and though I currently make my living as a mercenary wonderist, I used to have a far more noble-sounding job title—until I discovered the people I worked for weren't quite as noble as I'd believed. Now I'm on the run and my only friend, a homicidal thunder mage, has invited me to join him on a suicide mission against the seven deadliest mages on the continent. Time to recruit some very bad people to help us on this job.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Wandered off the promised path
- By 🔥 Phx17 🔥 on 09-30-23
-
Barrowlands
- Iconoclasts, Book 0
- By: Mike Shel
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 1 hr
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 546
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 498
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 496
No one enters the doom-haunted Barrowlands without royal sanction. But Hesk Atterley has. Accompanied by seedy companions and a hunger for riches, what he finds may change his life forever...if it doesn't kill him first.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Short but Interesting
- By Michael on 02-01-21
By: Mike Shel
-
The Magpie Lord
- By: KJ Charles
- Narrated by: Cornell Collins
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,268
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,119
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,114
Exiled for 20 years, Lucien never planned to return to England. But with the mysterious deaths of his father and brother, it seems the new Lord Crane has inherited an earldom. He's also inherited his family's enemies. He needs magical assistance, fast. He doesn't expect it to turn up angry. Magician Stephen Day has good reason to hate Crane's family. Unfortunately, it's his job to deal with supernatural threats. Besides, the earl is unlike any aristocrat he's ever met, with the tattoos, the attitude...and the way Crane seems determined to get him into bed.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Absolutely outstanding
- By t on 05-22-18
By: KJ Charles
-
The Witness for the Dead
- Book One of the Cemeteries of Amalo Trilogy
- By: Katherine Addison
- Narrated by: Liam Gerrard
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 502
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 438
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 437
When the young half-goblin emperor Maia sought to learn who had set the bombs that killed his father and half-brothers, he turned to an obscure resident of his father’s Court, a Prelate of Ulis and a Witness for the Dead. Thara Celehar found the truth, though it did him no good to discover it. He lost his place as a retainer of his cousin the former Empress, and made far too many enemies among the many factions vying for power in the new Court. The favor of the Emperor is a dangerous coin.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Same feel, not as satisfying as Goblin Emperor
- By CalyEk on 07-02-21
-
Babel
- Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution
- By: R. F. Kuang
- Narrated by: Chris Lew Kum Hoi, Billie Fulford-Brown
- Length: 21 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,191
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,620
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,613
1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. Babel is the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as its knowledge serves the Empire’s quest for colonization.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
The novel language lovers have been waiting for
- By LisaLee on 09-06-22
By: R. F. Kuang
-
On a Red Station, Drifting
- By: Aliette de Bodard
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 27
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 25
For generations, Prosper Station has thrived under the guidance of its Honoured Ancestress: born of a human womb, the station's artificial intelligence has offered guidance and protection to its human relatives. But war has come to the Dai Viet Empire. Prosper's brightest minds have been called away to defend the emperor; and a flood of disorientated refugees strain the station's resources.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Great world-building and characters, volume issues
- By Rachael Bailey on 07-08-19
-
The Malevolent Seven
- By: Sebastien de Castell
- Narrated by: Joe Jameson
- Length: 11 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 279
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 252
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 252
My name is Cade Ombra, and though I currently make my living as a mercenary wonderist, I used to have a far more noble-sounding job title—until I discovered the people I worked for weren't quite as noble as I'd believed. Now I'm on the run and my only friend, a homicidal thunder mage, has invited me to join him on a suicide mission against the seven deadliest mages on the continent. Time to recruit some very bad people to help us on this job.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Wandered off the promised path
- By 🔥 Phx17 🔥 on 09-30-23
-
Barrowlands
- Iconoclasts, Book 0
- By: Mike Shel
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 1 hr
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 546
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 498
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 496
No one enters the doom-haunted Barrowlands without royal sanction. But Hesk Atterley has. Accompanied by seedy companions and a hunger for riches, what he finds may change his life forever...if it doesn't kill him first.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Short but Interesting
- By Michael on 02-01-21
By: Mike Shel
-
The Magpie Lord
- By: KJ Charles
- Narrated by: Cornell Collins
- Length: 6 hrs and 25 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,268
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,119
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,114
Exiled for 20 years, Lucien never planned to return to England. But with the mysterious deaths of his father and brother, it seems the new Lord Crane has inherited an earldom. He's also inherited his family's enemies. He needs magical assistance, fast. He doesn't expect it to turn up angry. Magician Stephen Day has good reason to hate Crane's family. Unfortunately, it's his job to deal with supernatural threats. Besides, the earl is unlike any aristocrat he's ever met, with the tattoos, the attitude...and the way Crane seems determined to get him into bed.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Absolutely outstanding
- By t on 05-22-18
By: KJ Charles
-
The Witness for the Dead
- Book One of the Cemeteries of Amalo Trilogy
- By: Katherine Addison
- Narrated by: Liam Gerrard
- Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 502
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 438
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 437
When the young half-goblin emperor Maia sought to learn who had set the bombs that killed his father and half-brothers, he turned to an obscure resident of his father’s Court, a Prelate of Ulis and a Witness for the Dead. Thara Celehar found the truth, though it did him no good to discover it. He lost his place as a retainer of his cousin the former Empress, and made far too many enemies among the many factions vying for power in the new Court. The favor of the Emperor is a dangerous coin.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Same feel, not as satisfying as Goblin Emperor
- By CalyEk on 07-02-21
-
Elric of Melniboné
- Volume 1: Elric of Melnibone, The Fortress of the Pearl, The Sailor on the Seas of Fate, and The Weird of the White Wolf
- By: Michael Moorcock, Neil Gaiman - Foreword
- Narrated by: Samuel Roukin
- Length: 24 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,434
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,223
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,222
It is one of the most well-known and well-loved fantasy epics of the twentieth century: the story of Elric, emperor of the dying kingdom of Melniboné. For a hundred centuries the Melnibonéans have ruled from the Dragon Isle of Imrryr. Now, after years of corruption and decadence, Elric’s amoral cousin Prince Yyrkoon, the brother of his beloved Cymoril, sets his eyes on the Ruby Throne. Elric must face his treacherous cousin not as a warrior but as a sorcerer king once again in league with the ancient gods of Melniboné, the Chaos Lords, and thus sealing his inexorable fate.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Skip the first chapter, it's not Moorcock.
- By Ted C. on 02-17-22
By: Michael Moorcock, and others
-
Gods of Jade and Shadow
- By: Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Narrated by: Yetta Gottesman
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,823
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,602
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,600
The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own. Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it - and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
I can’t finish this
- By zoomcity on 08-07-19
-
Gallant
- By: V.E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Julian Rhind-Tutt
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,752
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,549
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,543
Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for Girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home; it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile, or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Gothic Done Right, in Form and Content!!!
- By Helena H. on 06-27-22
By: V.E. Schwab
-
The Blacktongue Thief
- By: Christopher Buehlman
- Narrated by: Christopher Buehlman
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,533
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,184
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,173
Kinch Na Shannack owes the Takers Guild a small fortune for his education as a thief, which includes (but is not limited to) lock-picking, knife-fighting, wall-scaling, fall-breaking, lie-weaving, trap-making, plus a few small magics. His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler that crosses his path. But today, Kinch Na Shannack has picked the wrong mark.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Outstanding
- By Anne Vaughan on 05-28-21
-
Witchmark
- By: C. L. Polk
- Narrated by: Samuel Roukin
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 570
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 520
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 520
Magic marked Miles Singer for suffering the day he was born, doomed either to be a slave to his family's interest or to be committed to a witches' asylum. He went to war to escape his destiny and came home a different man, but he couldn't leave his past behind. The war between Aeland and Laneer leaves men changed, strangers to their friends and family. Even after faking his own death and reinventing himself as a doctor at a cash-strapped veteran's hospital, Miles can't hide what he truly is.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
hell of a ride
- By Dianthaa on 01-05-20
By: C. L. Polk
-
The Captain
- The Last Horizon, Book 1
- By: Will Wight
- Narrated by: Travis Baldree
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,568
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2,065
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,065
On a little-known planet, Archmage Varic Vallenar casts a grand spell to empower himself with the magical abilities of his alternate selves. The ritual works too well, granting Varic not only the magic but also the memories from six lives. Including their gruesome deaths. Now, Varic has power greater than any wizard in galactic history, but he knows that won’t be enough. The enemies he faced in those alternate lives were apocalyptic in scale. Terrors of technology and magic. Nothing that he, or anyone, can defeat.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
why do I have to type stuff
- By Joshua on 04-05-23
By: Will Wight
-
Light Chaser
- By: Peter F. Hamilton, Gareth L. Powell
- Narrated by: Imogen Church
- Length: 4 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 352
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 320
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 318
Amahle is a Light Chaser—one of a number of explorers, who travel the universe alone (except for their onboard AI), trading trinkets for life stories. But when she listens to the stories sent down through the ages, she hears the same voice talking directly to her from different times and on different worlds. She comes to understand that something terrible is happening, and only she is in a position to do anything about it. And it will cost everything to put it right.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Life is lonely with only Instagram collars
- By Michael G Kurilla on 07-10-22
By: Peter F. Hamilton, and others
-
The Bone Farm
- A Jane Hawk Case File
- By: Dean Koontz
- Narrated by: Elisabeth Rodgers, James Anderson Foster
- Length: 2 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 13,975
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 12,498
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 12,474
An audio original novella featuring bestselling author Dean Koontz’s compelling new heroine, Jane Hawk. From the case files of the former FBI agent before she became the nation’s most wanted fugitive - The Bone Farm details a desperate man-hunt for a serial killer before he murders again.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
First Timer
- By Anonymous User on 05-06-18
By: Dean Koontz
-
The Killing Moon
- Dreamblood, Book 1
- By: N. K. Jemisin
- Narrated by: Sarah Zimmerman
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,607
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,442
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,440
In the ancient city-state of Gujaareh, peace is the only law. Upon its rooftops and amongst the shadows of its cobbled streets wait the Gatherers - the keepers of this peace. Priests of the dream-goddess, their duty is to harvest the magic of the sleeping mind and use it to heal, soothe . . . and kill those judged corrupt. But when a conspiracy blooms within Gujaareh's great temple, Ehiru - the most famous of the city's Gatherers - must question everything he knows.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Refreshing Take on Fantasy
- By Patrick on 06-22-12
By: N. K. Jemisin
-
The Obsidian Tower
- The Rooks and Ruin Series, Book 1
- By: Melissa Caruso
- Narrated by: Senn Annis
- Length: 14 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 95
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 80
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 80
Deep within Gloamingard Castle lies a black tower. Sealed by magic, it guards a dangerous secret that has been contained for thousands of years. As Warden, Ryxander knows the warning passed down through generations: nothing must unseal the door. But one impetuous decision will leave her with blood on her hands - and unleash a threat that could doom the world to fall to darkness.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fantastic!
- By McKynzee Pivonka on 10-26-20
By: Melissa Caruso
-
Summer Sons
- By: Lee Mandelo
- Narrated by: Will Damron
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 368
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 321
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 320
Andrew and Eddie did everything together, best friends bonded more deeply than brothers, until Eddie left Andrew behind to start his graduate program at Vanderbilt. Six months later, only days before Andrew was to join him in Nashville, Eddie dies of an apparent suicide. He leaves Andrew a horrible inheritance: a roommate he doesn’t know, friends he never asked for, and a gruesome phantom that hungers for him.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A surprise of the best variety!
- By Blayne on 10-04-21
By: Lee Mandelo
-
Three Parts Dead
- By: Max Gladstone
- Narrated by: Claudia Alick
- Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,001
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 904
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 901
A god has died, and it’s up to Tara, a first-year associate in the international necromantic firm of Kelethras, Albrecht, and Ao, to bring him back to life before his city falls apart. Her client is Kos, recently deceased fire god of the city of Alt Coulumb. Without him, the metropolis’ steam generators will shut down, its trains will cease running, and its four million citizens will riot. Tara’s job: resurrect Kos before chaos sets in.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great story, but the narrator was off
- By John on 07-27-14
By: Max Gladstone
Critic reviews
"Part murder mystery, part well-researched historical novel and part fantasy...The fantasy element blends neatly with the other parts" ( SFX Magazine)
"An Aztec priest of the dead tries to solve a murder mystery, and finds that politics may be even more powerful than magic. A vivid portrayal of an interesting culture in a truly fresh fantasy novel." (Kevin J. Anderson New York Times bestselling author)
"Amid the mud and maize of the Mexica empire, Aliette de Bodard has composed a riveting story of murder, magic and sibling rivalry." (Elizabeth Bear)
"I haven’t enjoyed a proper detective story this much in ages, and the rich setting, monsters and magic just added an extra layer of delight." (David Devereux)
What listeners say about Servant of the Underworld
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Noor
- 04-11-21
Stunning
The performance was breathtaking. The story was unexpected in the most beautiful way. left me absolutely in love.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Krystopher Stevenson
- 02-05-21
amazing.
absolutely amazing story all around. great character fleshing out and growth. incredible world building, display and research. beautiful prose. the rising action and climax was well executed with a satisfying resolution. I've never enjoyed a detective story as much as this. the narrator was great. he had clear enunciation, pronounced words I couldnt have ever hoped to with ease and had wonderful pacing with a rich smooth voice.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Kristjan Larson
- 08-11-20
Not Your Average Detective Story
An interesting take on the magic enabled detective story ... sort of like an Aztec Dresden Files. Put in on in the background and don't worry about catching everything ... it pretty much goes where you would expect it to go, so just enjoy listening.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Gouka
- 01-16-19
Enjoyed it so much more than I expected!
I was worried that I wouldn't be able to connect with the setting, and it did take me a while to feel invested in the story, but I ended up liking several characters (and loving to dislike several others) and found myself drawn into the mystery. It's a Whodunit with gods and magic.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Phillip Sendlein
- 08-06-18
Unique setting, excellent writing
Truly love this trilogy and wish there was more. The setting alone is enough reason to pick it up, but the way it dives into the culture to create non traditional plots elevates it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Paul Houser
- 09-20-17
A Nice Change of Pace in Fantasy
No pdf at Audible. Visited her website for character list and glossary. It helped alot.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 09-27-21
love it!
I did struggle a little with some of the names, but the story and narration is really great. I got really invested in the story and the main character. Aliette de Bodard is my new favorite author. She writes the most amazing and intriguing adventures!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Colby Johnson
- 09-01-24
A Different take on Urban Fantasy?
This is a detective story mixed with fantasy set in the pre-contact Aztec world. Really good stuff.
In the novel, the everyday world of an Aztec city is set shoulder to shoulder with the spiritual world. Rituals give access to speak with goddesses and gods. The many interactions with the spiritual are naturalistic and believable. I'm not quite sure how Ms. de Bodard achieved this feat. It might because the gods and goddesses attend to their cosmic duties and yet are also quite pleased to toy with mortals who approach too closely.
The main character, the priest Acatl, provides funerary rights to the people. He is a kind man who cares about the commoners quite a bit more than the warriors and the nobles. He comes from peasant stock and there is a deep rift with his family because he didn't join the high status warrior class like his brother. When a strange and bloody abduction occurs, his brother is in the cross hairs as the perpetrator. Acatl tries to get to the bottom of the mystery while wrestling with his extreme rancor with his sibling. He uses all his training in the mystical world to investigate the god tainted abduction. There are many hair-raising encounters with the gods such as a one-sided fight with the god of death who is portrayed as coated in obsidian shards and sporting obsidian blades for fingers. And yet Acatl's biggest hurdle may be understanding dark feelings about himself and his family. It's not clear if his good-hearted nature will be enough to see him through his anger.
The narrator, Mr.Telfer is excellent. I thought he landed an authentic dramatic delivery throughout the book. He devised some excellent characterizations of the gods and goddesses too.
The story does travel around in long loops and I found the battles befuddling because of the quite long Aztec character names. If the you like the vibe of the sample, perhaps the good storytelling will overcome the uncompromising style of the book for you. If you get the book, it may add to the enjoyment of the story to find a cast of characters list online. The only cast list I have found so far is in the appendix of the print and kindle version.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall2 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 02-17-20
Good story but irritatingly written
Well thought out story and lots of excitement but written in a trying and drawn out manner. The tense relation between the nice but irritating main character and his warrior brother is important for the story, but it is overworked in my opinion. The action scenes are squeezed to, litterally, the last drop of sacrifical blood and the whole mix is just a bit too much.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- anthony
- 02-21-15
Couldn't get through it.
What disappointed you about Servant of the Underworld?
I hate when an author makes words up. If you want to make an example of something from a chess game, just do it. Or a new word to describe a king or an official. Maybe one or two throughout the story would be OK but I don't want to learn a new language just to enjoy a story. And those annoying names that he gave the characters. I didn't know one from the next. I had to give up.
Would you be willing to try another one of John Telfer’s performances?
Yes
You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?
no
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful